Extent office



A. C. RUMBLE.

CAR-COUPLING.

No. 189,791, Patented April 17, 1877.

Q/WTZSZJ 2; g INVENTOR ATTORNEY NJEI'ERS, PHOTOLITHUGRAPHER, WASHINGTQND O *nssrenort or one-HALF HIS RIGHT TO uff-.1 ibHAIiLEs PH NENEY, o-sAME PLACE.

In. CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of LettersPatenhNo. 189,791,}1ated April 17,1877; application filed To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEX. 0. RUMBLE, of Lima, in the county of Allen andState of Ohio, have invented a new and valuable Improvement inGar-Couplings; and I (lo-hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of thesame, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of thisin the arrangement and novel construction of the draw-spring, itscompressor-heads, the dead-blocks, and the vertically-vibrating andendwise-movable draw-head, as hereinafter shown and described.

In the accompanying drawings, the letters .A A designate tworailway-cars supported upon the usual trucks B. 0 represents two spacedmetallic blocks, arranged parallel to each other, and secured lengthwisethe car upon its under side and at each end. These blocks are providedwith longitudinal slots 1', for a purpose hereinafter explained. D Drepresent, respectively, the front and rear compressor-plates, betweenwhich, at the rear ends of blocks 0, is arranged the draw-spring E.Plate D is circular in form, and is provided upon its edgesdiametrically opposite each other with lugs a, which work in grooves 2;

formed in the inner faces of blocks 0, so as to slide freely to therear, but to be-incapable Plate D has similar lugs, and is capable offorward but not of backward movement. 12 represents an axial boltpassing through the centers of plates D D and spring E, and providedupon its rear end'with a head or nut, c. This bolt has upon itsfront'endan eye, d, which enters a notch in the contiguous end of the draw-bar F,and is secured thereto by means of a pin, a, passf -jMarch 3,1877.

ing through perforations in the said drawbar, registering with the eye01 and slotsi aforesaid in blocks 0. In this position the heel of thedraw-bar bears directly against the compressor-plate D, and in backingthe train the said draw-bar will be thrust back, thus graduallycompressing the spring E, and protecting the framework of the car-bodyand trucks from the injurious effects of sudden jars. In going forwardthe draw-bar will be drawn slightly out, owing to its slotted bearingsin blocks 0 and plate D gradually drawn forward by bolt b, therebycompressing spring E, and attaining the same desirable result.

When the traction of the engine is fully, or nearly fully, exercised thepin 0 will come in contact with the front end of slot 6, and, beingarrested, will prevent the spring E from being unduly racked. Inbacking, the pin 6 aforesaid will come in contactt-with the rear wall ofthe said slot t, and the said spring will be prevented from being undulycompressed whereby its efficiency would be impaired.

The draw-bar F above alluded to has upon its front end, projectingbeyond the end wall of the car, a strong broadly-extended barbed head,H. These heads are transverse the shank of the bars, and when broughttogether in the act of coupling pass each other and become interlocked,as shown in Fig. 1. Upon the lower part of draw-bar F, and in the rearof the head H is cast a lug, l, to which is fastened a link, I, forcoupling with the ordinary pin-and-link coupler. By arranging the linkback of the head H all danger of breakage when the opposite heads cometo gether, is avoided. J J represent metallic levers, pivoted at or nearthe middle of their lengths to the ends of the car, and extendingoutward at each side thereof a suitable distance. The weight-arms ofthese levers are provided with longitudinal slots 6 and connectedtogether by a pivot, j, to which pivot is secured a chain or rod, L,connected with the vertically-vibrating draw-bar, and an operating-rod,M, having a handle, h, extending to the roof of the car. By drawing uprod M or thrusting the power-arms of one ofthe levers J J down ward thebarbed head will be raised vertically upward without a cant to the rightor left, and all danger of breaking off the corners of the said headseffectually prevented.

In flat cars the same result will be attained by means of a transversecrank-shaft, K, arranged in bearings under the draw-bar, and having acrank, it, adapted to be rotated, and raise the draw-bar. This shaftwill be provided with arms 0 at each end, and the drawbars will besupported in position by the usual stirrups N.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the vertically-vibrating barbed draw-bar F, ofthe blocks 0, having slots '5, the draw-spring E, compressorplates D D,draw-rod d, and pin 0, entering of two witnesses.

ALEX. O. RUMBLE. Witnesses:

M. L. BECKER, J. N. HUTOHISON.

